AKT1 and dry eye syndrome: KCs stimulated by IL-17 activate the phosphatidylinositol-3-hydroxy kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, which inhibits the formation of autophagic vesicles and enhances autophagic flux, thereby suppressing autophagy while promoting cholesterol degradation (156, 157).